Yorkshire Ditties, First Series eBook

yo?” An’ shoo’ll show him th’
direction, an’ ax him if he knows who’s
writing that is? An’ he’ll luk at
it as sackless as if he didn’t know it wor his
own—­ ther heeads get cloise together, an’
shoo sighs an’ he sighs, an’ then, if
ther’s noabody abaat he’ll give hur a smack
with his lips an’ lawp back as if he’d
burned th’ skin off ’em, an’ shooo
axes him ha he con fashion to goa on like that, he
owt to be ashamed ov his face? An’ all
th’ time shoo’s wonderin’ why he
niver did it afoor. Then, if ther’s owt
abaat him, it isn’t long befoor ther’s
a weddin’, an’ then he’s begun life.
He’s settled into his nook i’th’
world, an’ he feels he’s a man.
Troubles come, but then ther’s a pleasure i’
bein able to maister ’em. He’s summat
to wark for besides his own belly an’ back.
He’s a heart-expandin’ responsibility
put on him. His country benefits by him, for
a man does moor for his country ’at leaves ten
weel-trained sons an’ dowters nor him ’at
leaves ten thaasand paand. Then if sich a little
simple thing as a valentine can help a chap on his
rooad in lite, aw say.

Be hanged to th’ Grumblers, goa a head Valentine
Makkers!!!

March Winds

These winds blow rayther strong—­stronger
sometimes nor what feels pleasant. Ther’s
monny a chap has a race wi’ his hat, an’
it luks a sheepish sooart ov a trick, an’ iverybody
can affooard to laff at him just becoss it isn’t
them. But for all that aw alus think at th’
year’s niver getten a reight start till after
March. It’s like as if it comes blusterin’
an’ rooarin’, just o’ purpose to
put things into reight trim. It fotches daan
th’ owd watter spaats, an’ lets fowk know
whear ther’s a slate at’s shakey.
It gives th’ trees a bit ov a whisk raand an’
wuthers abaat as if it wor detarmined to clear all
th’ maase nooks aat, an’ give us a fair
start for th’ fine weather. But that isn’t
all it does; it finds aat if yo’ve ony owd teeth
’at’s rayther tender, (an’ if ther’s
owt i’th’ world at ’ll wear aat a
chap’s patience its th’ tooith wark.
Its bad enuff, but what maks it war to bide is, iverybody
can tell yo ha to cure it, an’ for all that they
wor as fast what to do wi’ it when they had it
as onybody else.) But what does it matter if it does
find aat bits o’ waik spots, there’s nowt
like knowin whear they are, for then yo do stand a
chonce o’ bein’ able to tak care on ’em.
But it does summat else beside—­it brings
a fine day or two—­an’ th’ grass
begins to luk a trifle greener, an’ here an’
thear i’ bits o’ shady nooks an’
corners sometimes yo can find a daisy or two; an’
what is ther luks bonnier nor th’ first daisy
yo find peepin up? It may be a bit ov a pindered
lookin thing, but its a daisy; an’ aw dooant
think at th’ grandest yo’ll find all th’
year ’ll please yo hauf as weel as this.
Little children clap ther hands when they see it,
becoss it tells ’em ther’s some fine weather
comin’ bye an’ bye; an’ they pluck